Field of the Invention
The fear of snakes, both reasonable and unreasonable, is one of the stronger phobias present in man. The fear, dread and disgust engendered by these reptiles has been reinforced by various religious teachings and popular fictions to the extent that the common reaction upon encountering a snake is to kill it. This is particularly the case with venomous snakes because of the significant danger presented by these creatures to humans and pets. In addition, the bite of a non-venomous snake, although not as dangerous as that of the venomous varieties, can be extremely painful and has the potential to be infectious.
However, snakes do serve a useful purpose in the control of other pests, notably rats, mice and the like, and are therefore beneficial in the overall ecology even though undesirable in some areas such as residential locations. Toward this end it is preferable to discourage or physically repel snakes from those areas where they are not wanted yet leave them alive to fulfill their role in the ecological scheme. Additionally, any method employed for repelling snakes should be environmentally sound and non-harmful to humans and other animals.
Accordingly, it is an object to provide a method for repelling snakes. It is a further object to provide a method for repelling snakes that is not harmful or fatal to them. It is a still further object to provide a method for repelling snakes that is simple and effective against a variety of species. It is still another object to provide a snake repellant compound that is effective, easy to use, and biologically as well as ecologically sound.
Naphthalene has been known in the past as an effective insecticide, pesticide and repellant for other creatures, particularly moles. However, its effectiveness against snakes has never been expected, much less demonstrated. Accordingly, the present inventor herein presents a new use for naphthalene in the form of a snake repellant.